Recoil control device



July 2, 1940. R. H. s. HUGHES RECOIL CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 25, 19582 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 2, 1940. R. H. s. HUGHES 2,206,568

RECQIL CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UNH'EQ-STATES mm caries RECOIL CONTROL DEVICE Robert H. S. Hughes, Baltimore,Md., assignor of one-half to Milton Roberts, Baltimore, Md.

Application Apr-i125, 1938, Serial No. 204,176

3 Glaims.

This invention relates to recoil controlling devices for guns. Incarrying out the invention a casing is provided adapted for attachmentto the muzzle end of a gun barrel, and this casing embodies two similarrecoil structures arranged in tandem, through'which a bullet fired froma rifle must pass. Each recoil structure includes a combustion chamberformed within the casing,

, an annular shoulder at the forward end of the chamber, discharge portsextending rearwardly and outwardly from the forward part of the chamberadjacent said shoulder and baille ports extending through the casing atthe rear of the discharge ports. A sleeve extends from the end of thebarrel into the rear chamber, a second sleeve extends from the shoulderat the forward end of the rear chamber into the forward chamber, and aseal port is provided at the forward end of the forward chamber, thisseal port being in line with said sleeves. The invention embodies otherfeatures hereinafter described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through a recoil device,showing the same fixed to the muzzle end of a gun barrel, the latterbeing also shown in longitudinal central section;

Figure 2 is a transverse section through th device taken on the line 2-2of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a similar view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section the same as that shown in Figure 2, but showing amodification in which the discharge ports are in the form of arcuateslots instead of being cylindrical in form as illustrated in Figures 1and 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view the same as in Figure l, but showing adevice in which the rear combustion chamber is larger than the frontcombustion chamber;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-43 of Figure o; v

Figure 7 is a sectional view like that shown in Figure 5, but showing adevice in which the rear combustion chamber is smaller than the frontcombustion chamber.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, inclusive of the drawings, A represents arecoil deviceas a whole, comprising a metal casing I, in which areformed two cylindrical combustion chambers, 2 and 3, arranged in tandem.An adapter 5 is threaded into the rear end of the casing, as shown at 4,and this adapter in turn is threaded on to the muzzle end 6 of the gunbarrel l which has the usual lands 8 and'grooves 9. The adapter has anannular flange I0 against which the rear end of the casing rests and ithas an annular shoulder it] which fits against the end of the gun barrelwhen the device is mounted thereon. It also has a sleeve Il,'concentricwith the bore of the barrel extending forwardly into the chamber 2, theinternal diameter of this sleeve being approximately that of thebore l2of the gun.

The casing has an internal annular flange 23, about midway of itslength, into which is fitted a sleeve 22 which projects into the forwardchamber 3, this sleeve having approximately the same internal diameteras that of the sleeve II and the two sleeves being in axial alinement.The flange 23 and the rear end of the sleeve 22 form an annular chambers at the forward end of the chamber 2 which extends from the bore of thesleeve to the side wall of the chamber. A plurality of discharge ports I5 extend rearwardly and outwardly from the forward part of the chamber,adjacent said shoulder, through the side wall of the chamber and anexternal shoulder IS. The discharge ports, as shown in Figure 2, arearranged in a circular series in groups of three: At the rear of thedischarge ports and the shoulder iii are baille ports i3, in the form ofarcuate slots cut through the side wall of the casing, each slot beingof such length that the gases discharged through it will intercept thegases discharged from a group of the rearwardly directed dischargeports. As shown in Figure l, the opposite side walls of each slot areinclined forwardly and outwardly so that the products of combustiondischarged from the baiile ports will have an outward and forwarddirection.

A plug i .1 is fitted into the forward end portion 19 of the casing, andthis plug has a seal port 2| in axial alinement with the sleeves H and22. As shown at l8, the plug is screw threaded into the casing and aflange 20 on the plug fits against the forward end of the casing andforms a stop for the plug. The inner end s of the plug forms an annularshoulder at the forward end of the chamber 3 extending from the sealport to the side wall of the chamber, and discharge ports 25 extendrearwardly and outwardly from the forward part of the chamber, adjacentsaid shoulder, through the side wall and through an external shoulder26. These discharge ports are in all respects the same as the dischargeports l5, and baiile ports 24, in all respects the same as the baflleports [3, extend through the side wall of the chamber 22 at the rear ofthe discharge ports. The forward or disthrough the rear chamber 2 andthrough thebore of the sleeve 22, which serves as a seal port for said.chamber, and thence through the forward chamber 3 and its seal port 2|.Following the issuance of the bullet from the sleeve II the gases andstill burning products of combustion from the gun barrel create anextremely high pressure in the rear chamber, particularly at the momentwhen the sleeve 22 is substantially closed by the bullet, with theresult that the discharge'of gases through the discharge ports l5against the atmosphere causes a reaction against the shoulder s at theforward end of the chamber 2, which largely counteracts recoil. At thesame time gases are discharged outwardly and forwardly from the chamber2 into the path of the gases issuing from the discharge ports, and. thegases from the baille ports cause a deflection of the gases from thedischarge ports and pre vent blast against the operator of the gun. Thesame action takes place in the, forward part of the device. As thebullet leaves the sleeve 22 and enters the seal port 2|, the gases andstill burning. products of combustion following the bullet into thechamber 3 create high pressure therein and a discharge of gases throughthe discharge ports 25, withconsequent reaction against the shoulder sat the forward end of the chamber 3, further reducing the recoil, andthe gases discharged through the baflie ports 24 intercepting the gasesfrom the discharge ports, reduce the blast against the operator of thegun.

By providing the annular pockets t and t at the rear of the baflle portsit is found that the gases escape more readily through the baffle portsthan if these pockets were not present. When the gun is fired highpressure results in all parts of the chambers and also there is aninconceivably rapid action and reaction of the gas pressure between theforward and rear end of the chamber and it is believed that a cushioningefiect takes place in these pockets which helps to eject the gasesthrough the baffle ports. This is desirable in order the baffledischarge may intercept the gases issuing from the discharge'ports whichhave a greater distance to travel in going to the front end of thechamber and then rearwardly through the discharge ports.

Figure 4 is a sectional view the same as in Figure 2, showing amodification in which discharge ports 30 in the form of arcuate slotsare substituted for the groups of cylindrical ports shown in Figure 2,the parts being otherwise the same and similarly numbered.

In Figure 5 the structure A is substantially the same as in Figure 1except that the two chambers are not of the same size, the chamber 2'being larger than the chamber 3, and the seal port 32 for the smallerchamber is formed in a part 3| of the casing instead of in a plug, as inFigure 1. The corresponding parts are similarly numbered in bothfigures. Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-3 of Figure 5.

In Figure 7 is shown a modification in which the rear chamber 2' issmaller than the forward chamber 3. In this figure the adapter isomitted and the body of the casing, as shown at 33, is threaded on tothe gun barrel, and the sleeve 34 has a flange 35 which is threaded intothe casing and rests against the end of the gun barrel. The body is madein two parts, I and l the latter being threaded on to the former asshown at 36 and the parts having tapering faces 38 and 39 which make atight joint. The 'sleeve 31 which forms a seal port for the chamber 2 isshown integral with the part I. Otherwise, the parts are the same as inFigure 5 and similarly numbered.

The operation of the devices shown in Figures 5 to 7 is the same as inFigure 1, except that with an enlarged rear chamber and a small frontchamber the pressure will naturally be lower in the former and higher inthe latter, whereas with a small rear chamber and an enlarged frontchamber the pressure will be very high in the rear chamber and reducedin the forward chamber. The invention is not limited to particulardimensions of chambers and it may be desirable to make them of variousrelative sizes.

What I claim is:

l. A recoil control device for fire arms comprising a metal casinghaving front and rear cypart of each chamber adjacent the shoulderthereof, said casing having baffle ports in its side wall extendingfromeach chamber at the rear of the discharge ports, a sleeve attachedto the rear end of said casing adapted to engage the end of a gun barreland projecting forwardly therefrom into said rear chamber, a secondsleeve in said casing at the central portion thereof and extending fromthe shoulder of the rear chamber into the forward chamber, said secondsleeve serving as a seal port for the rear chamber, and said casinghaving a seal port at its forward end communicating with the forwardchamber, said sleeves and the seal port at the forward end of the casingbeing in line with one another.

2. A recoil control device for fire arms comprising a metal casinghaving front and rear cylindrical combustion chambers, said casinghaving an annular shoulder at the forward end of each chamber and havingdischarge ports extending rearwardly and outwardly from the forward partof each chamber adjacent the shoulder thereof, said casing having bafiieports in its side wall extending from each chamber at the rear of thedischarge ports, an adapter secured within the rear part of the casingand having a sleeve adapted to engage the end of a gun barrel andproject forwardly therefrom into said rear chamber, a second sleeve insaid casing at the central portion thereof and extending from theshoulder of the rear chamber into the forward chamber, said secondsleeve serving as a seal port for the rear chamber, and said casinghaving a seal port at its forward end communicating with the forwardchamber, said sleeves and the seal port at the forward end of the.casing being in line with one another.

3. A recoil device for the muzzle end of a firearm barrel comprising ametal casing having a cylindrical combustion chamber, said casing havingan annular shoulder at the forward end of said chamber and havingdischarge ports extending rearwardly and outwardly from the forhaving abore in alinement with the bore of the barrel, said sleeve, the shouldermember and the side wall of the chamber forming an annular pocket at therear of the baflle ports, the bore of said sleeve constituting the inletport to the [Q chamber.

ROBERT H. S. HUGHES.

